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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666107">The Rules of Mourning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DegrassiFanatic/pseuds/DegrassiFanatic'>DegrassiFanatic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Light Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:40:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>958</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DegrassiFanatic/pseuds/DegrassiFanatic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Not knowing what else to do, Zuko simply grabs the ceramic teacup on the table and lightly warms it up with his firebending before promptly handing it back to his friend. </p><p>Uncle always said tea made everything better. And Uncle was never wrong. </p><p>“Thanks.” Sokka mumbles. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Rules of Mourning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello, this is dedicated to my friend [REDACTED] who somehow found my tumblr and fanfic, even though i showed her one post for half a second and told her specifically to never read my fanfic</p><p>now that she has read them, i will force her to read more. </p><p>anyways love you [REDACTED]</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been strange to wake up in the early hours of the morning to a distraught sounding Katara knocking on his chamber door. It should have been impossible for anyone to wake him up at such an ungodly hour, seeing as his guards were trained to keep threats away from Zuko ever since he ascended the throne. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although it wouldn’t surprise him if the guards had been frozen in fear at the sight of Katara. (Yes, Katara was his friend, but she was also incredibly dangerous when she wanted to be.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once he had swung the door open, he was met with not the anger he thought he was hearing through the door, but instead with worry and concern. He had no idea what he had done to incite such an expression on her face but after a quick exchange, he soon realized it wasn’t something </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> had done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was something Sokka had done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which is why Zuko is standing in the middle of Sokka’s favourite restaurant in all of the Fire Nation, still dressed in his sleepwear, with the sun barely peeking above the horizon outside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a quick scan of the mostly empty establishment, Zuko finds Sokka sitting at a table located near a low window. A cup of tea sits in front of him, still full to the brim in a way that would’ve had Uncle reprimanding him for his wastefulness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As casually as he possibly can considering the circumstances, Zuko walks over to Sokka and plops himself down in the chair opposite of him, paying no mind to the look of surprise on his friend’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Zuko asks as he gets comfortable in his seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing.” Sokka mumbles as he looks away from Zuko, in favor of staring out the window instead, “It’s just…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just what?” he probes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Today’s the anniversary of Yue’s death.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a few seconds, the name rattles around in his head until he finally remembers who it belongs to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His first girlfriend. The Princess of the Northern Water Tribe who had sacrificed her own life to save that of the Moon Spirit's.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Zuko breathes out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A silence befalls upon the two of them; a rare and unwanted occurrence when it comes to being in Sokka’s company. Zuko is used to seeing his friend all bright and talkative and sarcastic. He’s used to seeing him full of life and laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s not used to this lifeless, laughless being in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s unsettling, to say the least. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not knowing what else to do, Zuko simply grabs the ceramic teacup on the table and lightly warms it up with his firebending before promptly handing it back to his friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Uncle always said tea made everything better. And Uncle was never wrong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Sokka mumbles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No problem.” Zuko responds as he rests his arms down against the wooden surface, “Do you want to talk about it? Yue, I mean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t even know her for that long.” he begins to explain as he drops his gaze down to the teacup in his hold, “For a few days, maybe? It’s stupid. I mean, how can you mourn someone you only knew for a few days?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His question hits him hard in his chest, his solar plexus, and it has Zuko struggling to breathe with the weight of it. He desperately wishes his Uncle was here to sprout off some very well needed advice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you can.” Zuko says, plainly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Sokka lets out a noncommittal hum before returning his attention to the window, Zuko berates himself mentally for his dumb answer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another silence falls between them and this time, Zuko is the one brave enough to break it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I met this girl once, Jin.” Zuko starts off, hoping that maybe this will help Sokka somehow, “I didn’t know her for very long, and for the time I did know her, I was a real jerk to her. But, she still liked me; she even asked me out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eventually, I had to leave her, and we never saw each other again.” he continues to explain, his heart aching a little at how Jin and him never even had a proper introduction, let alone a proper goodbye, “I didn’t know her for very long; in fact, I barely knew her. A part of me misses her, though. And I know it’s not the same because Jin is still alive but…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His words trail off and Zuko wishes that Katara had woken up any of their other friends to go search for his brother. All Zuko is doing is making Sokka feel worse and worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mind scrambles to find a solution to get out of this situation. Perhaps, if he went out and brought Katara back here, but then it would give Sokka the opportunity to run away. Was locking him inside here an option? He could always just order the owner to do so. Or maybe, he could simply drag him out of the restaurant…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you love her?” Sokka asks quietly, interrupting Zuko’s thinking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. I think I could have. ” he answers truthfully, “What about you? Did you love Yue?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think so.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko watches carefully as a bittersweet smile appears on Sokka’s face as he finally looks up from his cup of tea. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not stupid that you miss Yue.” Zuko says, his eyes meeting Sokka’s, “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known people; it’s the impact they leave on us what matters, what makes us miss them when they’re gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bittersweet smile on Sokka’s face morphs into a smaller, more gentle, genuine grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This is the Sokka, Zuko is accustomed to seeing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Zuko.” he says sincerely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anytime, buddy.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>find me on tumblr at Degrassi-Fanatic (not you [REDACTED]), send me an ask or two because i will gladly answer. </p><p>okay love you, bye bye !!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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